Synthesis of substituted phenyl diaziridines and characterization as mechanism-based inactivators of human cytochrome P450 2B6

Photocatalytic Generation of Nitrenes for Rapid Diaziridination

A blue LED, an organic photocatalyst (rose bengal), and the Lewis acid like oxidant PhI(OAc)₂ were utilized to generate nitrene intermediates through reactions of 1,2-diols and aliphatic amines under mild reaction conditions. A versatile and rapid diaziridination strategy was established to construct functionalized 1,2-disubstituted diaziridines, diaziridines with chiral substituents, and 1,2,3-trisubstituted analogues with excellent reaction rates, yields, and stereoselectivities. Control and labeling experiments to elucidate the mechanism of this elegant metal-free photocatalyzed cyclization reaction were performed.

Diastereoselective synthesis of substituted diaziridines from simple ketones and aldehydes

Diastereopure substituted diaziridines from simple ketones, aldehydes and amines are here reported. These important chemical scaffolds are obtained in the presence of a weak inorganic base and hydroxylamine O-sulfonic acid (HOSA). This method introduces three stereocenters in one step to provide a wide variety of substituted diaziridines with high yields and diastereoselectivities.

Adhesive curing through low-voltage activation

Instant curing adhesives typically fall within three categories, being activated by either light (photocuring), heat (thermocuring) or chemical means. These curing strategies limit applications to specific substrates and can only be activated under certain conditions. Here we present the development of an instant curing adhesive through low-voltage activation. The electrocuring adhesive is synthesized by grafting carbene precursors on polyamidoamine dendrimers and dissolving in aqueous solvents to form viscous gels. The electrocuring adhesives are activated at −2 V versus Ag/AgCl, allowing tunable crosslinking within the dendrimer matrix and on both electrode surfaces. As the applied voltage discontinued, crosslinking immediately terminated. Thus, crosslinking initiation and propagation are observed to be voltage and time dependent, enabling tuning of both material properties and adhesive strength. The electrocuring adhesive has immediate implications in manufacturing and development of implantable bioadhesives.

Existing methods of adhesive curing suffer from restrictions in the circumstances in which they can be employed. Here, the authors design a new method whereby application of a potential difference induces the curing process, increasing the scope for implementation to a whole new range of substrates and conditions.

Structure-Activity Relationship and Elucidation of the Determinant Factor(s) Responsible for the Mechanism-Based Inactivation of Cytochrome P450 2B6 by Substituted Phenyl Diaziridines

It has been demonstrated previously that several 3-trifluoromethyl-3-(4-alkoxyphenyl)diaziridines inhibit the 7-ethoxy-4-(trifluoroethyl)coumarin (7-EFC) O-deethylation activity of P450 2B6 in a mechanism-based manner. In contrast, 3-trifluoromethyl-3-(4-methylthio)phenyl)diaziridine did not have any effect on the activity of P450 2B6. It is interesting that both the alkoxy and the thiophenyl compounds were metabolized by P450 2B6. In this report, the structure-activity relationships for the mechanism-based inactivation of cytochrome P450 2B6 by a series of aryl diaziridines were investigated. Three diaziridines that did not contain a 4-alkoxy-substituent on their phenyl ring, namely, 3-trifluoromethyl-3-(3-methoxyphenyl)diaziridine, 3-trifluoromethyl-3-phenyl diaziridine, and 3-trifluoromethyl-3-(4-chlorophenyl)diaziridine had no effect on the P450 2B6 7-EFC activity. Another analog that did not contain a diaziridine substructure, 3-trifluoromethyl-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)ethanone, also had no effect on the activity of P450 2B6. Glutathione ethyl ester adducts of the phenyldiaziridine reactive intermediates were isolated from reaction mixtures of the inactivated samples and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The structures of the conjugates suggested that the electrophilic reactive intermediate in each case was a quinone methide (quinomethane), 4-ethylidene-cyclohexa-2,5-dienone, generated from the 4-alkoxyphenyldiaziridines by removal of both of the diaziridine and the 4-alkyl groups. In conclusion, the determinant factor for the mechanism-based inactivator activity of the aryl diaziridines seems to be the formation of the reactive quinomethane intermediate, which is generated from the 4-alkoxyphenyl diaziridines by a cytochrome P450-catalyzed metabolic reaction.